te.

I think this is the issue with the in media res storytelling they're doing - clearly they're acting as if the show has been on for 30 years and sometimes that works and sometimes it don't. Sometimes it hits that cozy feeling of having to known these characters for a lifetime... but sometimes things don't feel deserved even if they're acting as if it should be. Again, growing pains and I'm hoping it'll even out in a year from now. Soaps are a marathon and not a sprint after all.

TBH, I feel like they really need to work on how to end an episode, not just Fridays. Too many episodes just feel like they just... end. I don't mean you should have spectacular cliffhangers on the daily, but it their endings often come off as they were just told that they were out of time rather than an intentional episode ending.

The last few weeks have been unironically decent since the lid off Johnny's paternity was revealed - unfortunately, Ron's pets are still there and it seems like they will be for the forseeable future. Hopefully the new writers will at least quit the Gary Sue-ing of Leo. While I don't want a return to Sami's Days of Her Life, it's a shame Ali won't ever commit to anything long-term again. She absolutely sparked with every actor during her week and a half there, some she hasn't ever had scenes with. She's really a pro and it shows.

I know they were probably trying to be cute with Vivian and Sami leaving on the same plane, but I do hope something comes out of it. I'd bring back the neck-tie killer only to get killed off by another serial killer.

I said it when it happened, but I think Derek could function in that role. Hayley doesn't feel like a girl's girl and Derek's far enough removed from the drama to function as a talk-to. But maybe that's just me.

TBH, at this point I wouldn't mind a serial killer storyline that actually sticks this time around. Bring back some unloved characters to make it extra special.

Uh-oh, Peacock's in trouble, other streamers have come along and burst their bubble: https://awfulannouncing.com/peacock/streaming-expert-sounds-warning-on-peacock.html

Season 6 was refreshing after the soap opera drabness of season 5. It's funny that the season ended with one of the most memorable cliffhangers, the earthquake, when overall season five just isn't very good. Season six works because it's brighter, faster paced and slightly unhinged. It doesn't work quite as well on subsequent rewatches, but the first time it *is* quite a thrilling ride as long as you just let yourself go with the flow. Season 7 took all the worst tendencies from season 6 and amphiphiled them to the max. Too many guest stars, no real story arcs and just moving incredibly quickly. Maggie's alcoholism storyline where she acts a bit sleepy for a few episodes sure is something. And yeah, season 8 is an attempt to ground the show again, but they just went too far with it. Filerman hadn't been actively involved with the show since the early days and had no feeling for what worked and what didn't.

I think it helps that Phillip being a bit lighter helps set him apart from the other males in the cast at the moment. It fits JPL too as an actor.

I'd assume that CBS told them to get more experienced and recognizeable (probably white, lbr) soap actors and they sort of had to jam both Cady and Jon into there. It probably affected Vanessa the worst, because I very much doubt they had the whole casino plot in mind when they set up the show (which is why the casino set looks so dumpy). And of course, Pamela just comes across right now as they're making it up as they go along as I feel they would've otherwise dropped in that she was Dani's former agent earlier. They probably wanted to tie her to Dani because she was clearly seen as the break out character in the early weeks.

Spa sets are expensive... they can run a modelling agency from Dani's little couch / model room. Alternatively, they might redress the law office sets.

The Monroes only produced nine episodes in total as it was pulled from production before completing the entire 13 episode order.

Yup, I've always assumed it was meant to end with the cave in, but I guess with a lot more characters involved. That seems like a more Falcon Crest season ending cliffhanger than what we got.

GMA3...

To be fair, we know it really doesn't matter when someone is born on DAYS as their SORAS has been all over the place, plus I suspect they might care more about how it ages Gabi / Will at this point (I think that's why they avoided SORASing Will despite it being rumoured for ages; same with Shawn D). As I said, I kind of hope they don't age her to more than 16, but I'm guessing they might do 18 since that's Holly's age and they're probably trying to build an age group where Doug3 (21-ish?) can be included.

I feel like the issue is that they've obviously shoe-horned her into the show and it does come across as they're sort of making things up as they go along. I feel otherwise we should've known from the get-go that Pamela was her former agent from her modelling days; that would've also made the whole thing where she acts like her "fixer" when she broke into Bill and Hayley's house make more sense. I hope that in the long run it'll eventually straighten itself out.

I hope Heidi will perform her smash hit I'll Do It on the fashion show.

Well, we'll see how she reads on screen. That's a red carpet look with a lot of make up. She might end up looking quite a few years younger with more subtle make up and a bit more dressed down, especially as she's only 21 irl.

I hope they make her 15/16 at most, but I don't know how young this actress reads.

I hope they don't make Arianna too old and keeps her 16-ish at most.

That promo actually makes me want to watch Sisters, which always seemed too much like a milquetoast drama to me.

IIRC, Leslie was described as being a bartender in her official character description, so I assume that's how she met Ted initially. But also, since the show only has two sets where she can bartend (country club and Uptown), they're not going to have her do it there as long as she is running around in different week every week. With that said, it'd be nice if they had her off hand mention she's been bartending (or something) when she's not been in a couple of episodes. Down the road, it wouldn't surprise me if she ends up owning Uptown though. It would be a way for her to stay on the canvas after she's revealed as a devious schemer (assuming all the illegal stuff doesn't come out).

She's a generation younger than Anita, lol! The Articulettes are supposed to be a 70s/80s group - hence the use of The Emotions "Best of My Love" in the first episode.

I feel like putting Trisha Grant in the opening credits as a contract player means that they at least have a projection for her character for maybe a year or more. I can't see MVJ to have planned such a short arc for a series regular.